Obituary: Grandfather

He died relatively quick, after 1 month of sleeping in the hospital. That’s a lot better than my grandmother.

I think saw someone die

Quite a dramatic header, isn’t it?

I didn’t see the guy expire before me, but I noticed a crowd gathered around a prone man at a traffic light at Bukit Merah Central.

He had been lying there for a while, unresponsive to people pulling and prodding him. Nearby two over-the-hill ah-lians smoked and tossed cigarette butts onto the road.

A bald man in a tie had made a fist and pumped away at the man’s chest, while children and women gathered, watched and gawped. The bus came, an ambulance whirred to a stop beside the junction disgorging paramedics onto asphalt.

Who knew what happened to the man?

Scene: Hong Kong (Death Edition)

Being made up of mostly Chinese, Hong Kongers have a fascination with death. No doubt they speak of the dear departed in the past, but at the same time, it feels as if they are taking a long hiatus at a holiday chalet.

These tomb plots are considered to be “landed property”,

while urns of ashes in sealed cubicles are akin to Hong Kong’s high-rises.

Paper money, clothes, shoes, cars, a number of credit cards and whatever else is wrapped and lettered with the recipient’s name.

Delivery by fire.

Light a joss swirl and leave your wishes in the temple.